The prosecution in the trial of ATM Azharul Islam on Tuesday said the incumbent assistant secretary general of Jamaat had facilitated the killings 10 innocent civilians at Dakhiganj crematory in Mahiganj area of Rangpur during the War of Liberation.Prosecutor Tapas Kanti Baul said this in his arguments against the Jamaat leader at the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-1.
Mentioning the depositions of 4th, 8th, 13th, 16th and 17th prosecution witnesses, the junior prosecutor described how Azhar, then president of Rangpur district unit of Islami Chhatra Sangha (ICS), used to visit Rangpur Cantonment in his 50cc motorcycle hoisting the Pakistani flag and held meetings with Pakistani army officials.
“Azhar as the leader of ICS, facilitated the abduction, torture and killings that took place on April 3, 1971” the prosecutor said quoting the PWs.
After the prosecutor concluded his arguments on charge number 1 of the total 6, the ICT-1 adjourned the hearing till today. A total of 19 witnesses, including the investigation officer, testified against Azhar. Of them the prosecution declared their 7th witness hostile. On the other hand, the defense produced one Anwarul Haque, a distant relative of Azhar, as their sole defense witness and exhibited their defense documents through him.
The ICT-1 on November 12, 2013, indicted Azhar for committing crimes against humanity during the War of Liberation. According to the prosecution, Azhar, now 61, was commander of Rangpur district unit of Al-Badr during the War of Liberation. Hailed from Batason Lohanipara under Badarganj upazilla of Rangpur, Azhar was arrested from his Moghbazar residence in the capital on August 23, 2012 and produced before the tribunal three days later. He has been in jail since then. Meanwhile at the ICT-2, the defence in the trial of Syed Md Qaiser concluded placing its arguments for the accused. The tribunal after that adjourned the hearing till tomorrow, asking the prosecution to conclude their arguments on law points within half an hour in the first session.
